Chapter 10

She stared at the contract and the certificate before her, checking for its authenticity.

MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE 

SAIGE CALLAHAN

XAVIER AXEL LOCKWOOD

"Of course, it is real." It had the seal and everything. It even had her signature. Although it was slightly crooked, she knew it was hers.

Besides, she could not deny it anymore as fragments of last night's events flashed before her eyes. She even remembered the ring that sits on her palm.

She was drunk. She might have a temporary amnesia. But now, everything was returning to her like a tidal wave. One by one, images of what she had done came crashing hard into her consciousness.

"Idiot!" 

She was intelligent, even a genius, with an IQ as high as one hundred sixty-four. But when it came to him, her brain seemed to be reduced in half.

Suddenly, she was back to this naive, gullible teenager who did not know better. Yeah! She first met him when they were young.

"I was innocent and stupid then." She mumbled to herself as she recalled that day that had scarred her life forever.

She rushed into the hallway, maneuvering around the students that crowded her path. She had to reach her lockers to get her things before the bell rang.

"Oh, my!" She looked at her watch and noticed the time. She was going to be late. 

She was an A student in her previous school. She planned to continue that in this present school. That included not being late in any of her classes. 

"Hey, Saige, we have a meeting later." A girl shouted over the crowd. 

It took her a few seconds before she spotted her. She looked at her and recognized her. "Yeah! Sure, I will be there." She hollered back before waving goodbye.

The girl was part of the new group of junior student councils, groomed to lead next year. Luckily, she was admitted to the group even if she was a transferee.

Finally, she reached her locker before hearing the bell. Then, the students started clearing the hallway. She quickly grabbed her things, banged her locker door, and sprinted toward her room.

But in her hurry, she was barely two steps away when she bumped into a solid body, making her lose her footing. The next thing she knew, her things were flying in the air.

"Ouch!" Then, she fell flat on the solid ground on her bum. 

She did not see that coming, massaging her behind, trying to relieve the pain. But when she finally looked up to see who she bumped into, to her dismay, he was the last man she wanted to see.

He was the biggest bully on the campus as far as rumors were concerned. Although she had never experienced bullying before, she still avoided him like the plague. 

"Need any help." He asked, stretching his hand to her. 

Of course, the last thing she needed was his help.

"No need, but thanks." She hastily replied as she shifted to a kneeling position. She started to gather her things scattered on the floor.

However, she was surprised when he knelt beside her and helped her with her things. "I'm sorry about what just happened." He spoke first before she could say something.

She half expected that he would kick her things and make her life harder. But it was still too early to tell. She thought he might still have something up in his sleeves.

"I guess it was my fault for not looking where I was going." She answered back, admitting that she also was to blame. 

"Thanks." She finally said after quickly organizing her things. She knew she had to get away before something else happened.

Somehow, she knew she was uncomfortable around him. There was something in the way that he looked at her. It was not creepy, but it did make her hair stand up.

She was about to leave and head to her room when he stopped her. "Hey, Saige! Are you going to the prom?" Blocking her path with his body in the process. "Maybe you would like to be my date." 

Her eyes widened, wondering if she had heard him correctly. Did he ask her to go with him to the prom? As his date? No! That could not be right.

The coolest guy on campus did not go out with girls like her. Damn! He was the Quarterback King and Captain of the football team.

"Pardon?" So, no! He did not just ask her to the prom. Guys like him did not go out with nerds like her. Then, as far as she heard, he was the richest kid in school.

Of course, she had seen this before in movies. She already knew how it would end. Therefore, she concluded this was a prank or probably a bet. 

No! A nerd like her did not go out with the most popular guy in school.

"I want you to go out with me as my date to the prom." This time, he was not asking but seemed to be demanding.

If he thought he could order everybody around, he had a thing coming because she was not like everybody else. She did not cower down to bullies like him.

"Yes, I am going to the prom, but not with you." She answered him, looking straight into his eyes and showing him she was not afraid of him. 

However, she believed it would be futile if she pushed him aside. She doubted if she would even make him move even by an inch. 

"Please, step out of my way." Instead, she calmly requested.

As a future head of the student body, she must practice patience and understanding to resolve matters without leaning to violence and retaliation.

But it did not mean she would allow him to bully her around. She was only practicing maximum tolerance. However, she would not hesitate to report him to the authorities if he exceeded his boundaries.

"Not until you say yes." He continued to stand in front of her. "I promise you. I will be on my best behavior." He even added.

She might have reconsidered it if he had been another guy. But she had heard enough about him to know she should not mess with a guy like him. 

She could not trust him. He was a certified playboy who would only break her heart.

"Xavier, right?" She spoke softly, avoiding showing aggression in her voice. "I don't want to be rude, but I already said no. Besides, I already have a date."

She answered him, but she knew it was a lie since she had not even decided to go to the dance, let alone have a date. Although several of her friends did offer to take her, she declined them all.

"Now, that is a lie," Xavier muttered. Before she knew what he had planned, he pulled her hands and dragged her to the other end of the hall. 

Her books scattered once again on the floor. Her bag hung loosely in her arms as she tried to free herself from this boy's firm grip.

"What are you doing? Where are you taking me? Let go of me." She started shrieking, but he seemed determined to do what he wanted.

They passed by a few students in a hurry to their class, but they did not help much as they ignored her plea for help. It would seem they were more afraid of him for them to meddle in his affair.

Well, she was not. She would wait for an opportunity to escape him. And then, he would have what was coming to him. She might not look much, but she was not a pushover.

"Relax. All I want is for us to talk without any interruptions." He finally answered her as he opened a door and revealed an empty room. Then, he dragged her inside.

"You know I have classes at this moment." She knew she should not panic, but seeing just the two of them in the room was not exactly comforting. "They would be looking for me."

"Nah, they won't because they know you are with me." He confidently answered as he sat on an empty chair and watched her like she was his new favorite toy.

"What do you want with me?" She hated that he exuded power. She could tell he was not afraid of anyone. But she did not understand why he chose her.

"I want us to be friends." He declared as if that was that simple. "So, ask me what you want to know about me." He stayed in his place, not moving an inch.

She wanted to run for the door. But she doubted she would be fast enough. She was not the athletic type. Suddenly, she regretted not enrolling in a martial arts class as her father had suggested.

"I hate to burst your bubble, but I'm not the least interested in you." She retorted, confused and wondering what was his end game. 

But somehow, the more she stared into his mysterious eyes, the more curious she became. She believed there was something different in them, but she could not tell what it was.